


Unending Catalysts

by prayfordean



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Draco's being taken care of by Harry and it's a big ol' mess, F/M, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Roommates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-18
Updated: 2017-07-18
Packaged: 2018-12-03 19:55:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11539335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prayfordean/pseuds/prayfordean
Summary: When Harry discovers that Draco's fallen on hard times after the trial, they begin a life together that may or may not lead to both of them stumbling into ruin.





	Unending Catalysts

Harry’s eyes rest on the shoes sitting neatly by the door. One pair were his own, shoelaces in a jumbled mess; the other, scuffed black shoes, belong to his new roommate. He turns just in time to hear the fellow stepping cautiously down the hallway - almost as if he was trespassing - and feels his heart shudder. Was this reality? It wasn’t just some unfathomable dream? A little pinch to the soft skin of his forearm does the trick, yielding the answer he was searching for: this is real life. 

“Do you have everything you need?” he asks, careful to tip-toe this line. After such a long night they both deserve shut-eye.

Draco Malfoy nods sheepishly, gripping at one of the sleeves of his thin night shirt. “Yes, I...I should be set for now.,,”. His words trail off, as did his gaze. Harry follows, but all it leads to is the floor. “Are you quite sure you want me sleeping in your bed?” he murmurs, flickering his eyes to meet Harry’s

“Don’t bother fighting me on this. We already had this discussion. Now go on, get some sleep, Malfoy.” He himself had already set up his bed on the couch and wasn’t about to switch. “I mean this is only temporary, anyway.” As he climbs over the back of the couch and slides under the covers, he peeks back Draco.

The last bit of energy drains from Draco’s eyes. “Right, how could I have forgotten…”. He stands in the doorway of the bedroom, his fingers grazing the frame. “Good night, Potter”

Shutting off the lamp, Harry at last lays down. Perhaps that wasn’t the kindest thing he could have spouted off...ahhh. Temporary. But really, how long would this actually go on? A night? A week? A month? 

Even for someone as rotten as Malfoy, he couldn’t turn a blind eye to a person in need. About a week back, he’d heard rumors that since their departure from Hogwarts, the ex-Death Eater was down on his luck. Well, that’s an understatement. With all the hearings and trials and stress, not to mention no home to return to, Draco was, for lack of a better word, a shell of his former self. At first Harry could have cared less. He was such a twat and really did deserve all he was getting. If anything, he should have served time in Azkaban with the rest of the lot. 

After a bit of thinking, in which the thought of Malfoy living on the streets ate away at him, Harry resolved that he did in fact deserve a second chance.

When Harry found him this morning, he was a wreck. Harry could tell that he hadn’t slept in days, at least, from the shadows under his eyes. His clothes were dirty, and there were some suspicious stains on them that Harry didn’t want to know about. He only had a tiny bag, and a couple galleons hidden away in the shoe that didn’t have a hole in the bottom. Draco looked like he just wanted Merlin to strike him down there and then, and Harry understood. He had been hated before, and thought he had never been in this exact situation, he knew what it was like: Draco’s name was tainted by his past, and the past of his father. Even after a defiance against the Dark Lord, it didn’t change people’s minds. It was much easier to hate than to forgive.

Draco knew that better than anyone.

【 ★ 】

“Oh well if it isn’t the Savior…” 

The words echo back in Harry’s mind. He never dreamed of seeing was Draco hunched over on the sidewalk, the light gone from his eyes and an unlit cigarette fitted between his fingers. Did Draco smoke? He didn’t smell of it, so perhaps that was going to be his first. Honestly, Harry didn’t blame him.

“Get rid of that thing. I don’t need you dying of lung cancer,” Harry murmurs, sounding gruffer than he means. He snatches it out of Malfoy’s hand and crushes it in his palm. Draco just sat there, motionless.

“So what brings you here? Come to mock me too? Tell me that karma is biting me in the arse?” Draco’s once proud voice was empty now, and tired.

“I’m not a child and neither are you, Malfoy. You know I don’t play those games.”

A huff escaped Draco’s lips, but he doesn’t make eye contact with Harry. “Can’t you see I’m busy wasting away what’s left of my life? Bug off, Potter. You more than anyone should be glad I’m throwing in the towel”

All Harry does is hold out his hand. “Whatever you think this is, it’s not. Now pick up your things-”

“And shove them up my arse?” Draco finishes, his nose scrunching up

“No. You’re coming to my flat. Now get up, come on…” He hoists the other man unwillingly to his feet and points to the bag. “Should I grab that, or will you?” 

Draco doesn’t answer, just flings the bag over his shoulder, stoutly refusing to make eye contact.

And so here they were, two former (current?) enemies sharing a flat for an undefined amount of time, one of which was sleeping in the other’s bed. If Harry had been asked to guess where he would be at this time in his life, he never would have imagined it would be something like this. Draco’s a criminal, and a dumb bloke in general. He’s insensitive and haughty and was spoiled for most of his life. He’s not the sort of person Harry ever would have thought he would be living with.

Sighing, Harry rolls onto his side, face against the couch cushions. Everyone warned him that his good heart would be his downfall, and now he seemed to be proving them right. Knowing his former classmate, he’d probably murder him in his sleep… or at least annoy him to death.

Or, Harry could give him the benefit of the doubt.

Drifting in and out of sleep, Harry soon sits up, rubbing at his eyes. The clock on the far right wall read 2:37. So much for a good night’s sleep. He knows any attempts at it would be futile, anyways. It wasn’t like he hadn’t had these sorts of nights before; After the infamous battle, his sleepless nights came more often than not, and nightmares often overtook him, leaving him anxious and restless. However, tonight wasn’t like the others. And besides, he’d grown out of the night terrors and worries. Knowing Draco was just down the hall felt….odd? It’s familiarity calmed Harry, but at the same time left him with a wall stacked ten stories high around him. 

Looking back, Harry could say that this was something that was a constant in his life. Draco was never far from him, whether it be by coincidence or on purpose.. It grounded him. It reminded him of what he was used to no matter how weird this was. Shifting his gaze to the hallway and then to the the kitchen, he decides a midnight (or two in the morning) snack was his answer. 

Stepping into the room, he reaches to the glass jar near the sink and fishs out some biscuits. After nibbling on a few Harry made his way out onto the balcony, leaving the door open behind him as he rests against the railing. He draws in a breath and closes his eyes. This time of night was comforting....it was him against the world and it’s silent wonder. Above him grey wisps of clouds blocked out the stars, and below him the empty streets lay untouched for now. Would this flat ever feel like an actual home? Would this block ever give him satisfaction? It was just as he said to Draco earlier: temporary. More so than it held meaning in Draco’s case, to Harry this place felt...fleeting. Harry was always on the move. Be it from the Dursleys to Ron’s to Hogwarts or wherever he found himself, things never lasted. Perhaps not this place either? 

A click of a lighter shook his attention back and he inspects the window adjacent to the balcony; AKA his bedroom’s. Looks like Draco couldn’t sleep. Honestly though, Harry didn’t blame him again. 

Just as the other flicked the flame on with a second click, Harry clears his throat. “I never pictured you as the type…”

Slowly Draco lowered his hands, tossing the contents of them to what Harry assumed was his work desk. With a little sigh, he places a hand on the window sill and looks up to the sky. Words seemed to hang in the air as he opened his mouth, only for it to close shortly after. Whatever was on Draco’s mind, it must not have mattered. It was probably something snarky. Classic Draco Malfoy, right? As if in unison they both retreat back into the house. Harry slides the door shut and anchors his forehead against it. They’d make it to morning, he has to keep reminding himself. Just take things a day at a time, and then they’d both be back to their normal lives. Simple, right? 

Whatever was on Draco’s mind, it must not have mattered. It was probably something snarky. Classic Draco Malfoy, am I right? As if in unison they both retreat back into the house. Harry slides the door shut and anchors his forehead against it. They’d make it to morning, he has to keep reminding himself. Just take things a day at a time, and then they’d both be back to their normal lives. Simple, right? 

Not so much.

Not when you consider that everything in Harry’s life was one mishap after another and Draco was a walking hurricane, and they were utterly meant for each other. One completed the other. Where there was Harry, Draco was never far behind. Fitting, how even when they took different paths they ended up intertwined yet again! Harry could have said no, he could have chose to leave Draco out there to fend for himself, to know the hardships of what the life holds, but something told him otherwise, and now Harry was going to have to pay for it if it all blew up in his face. 

【 ★ 】

As morning came and went Harry is quick to realize his role here. While it was Sunday, that didn’t constitute Draco could sleep in forever. If they were to live under the same roof, Harry was determined to normalize his roommate’s life to match his own. He had to set some standards…

So much to Draco’s chagrin, he props the bedroom door open with his foot. “Up and at ‘em, Malfoy. It’s almost the afternoon…”. 

A groan muffles under the mountain of blankets, followed by a sudden pillow in Harry’s face. He certainly knew how tough of a customer the man would be, but this early on? Now that was unexpected. Holding the pillow, he soon tossed it back to the bed. 

Draco springs up with a frown. “This is how you treat a bloke who more or less was going to die on the street not even a day ago? I imagined you to be an angel not a devil, Potter…” he huffs. As he crossed his arms, he and Harry shared a glare. 

“I was going to make you breakfast but that flew out the window just like the time did. I have lunch made though so hurry or I’ll eat your share” Harry coo’s, departing from the doorway back to the hallway. After a moment he hears movement and some yelps from the bedroom.

In a scramble, Draco was soon at his side; albeit a little distressed from being twisted up in the blankets and nearly slipping on some paperwork that Harry hadn’t bothered to pick up yet.Harry wasn’t paying the closest attention to that. What he did focus on what how long Draco’s hair had gotten. Taking after Lucius, perhaps? No...no. Malfoy would never again utter that man’s name, let alone take after his appearance. What Draco had going on was something more...rebellious? It was in a messy ponytail for now, though. 

They took their seats at the quaint table. “Oh, my great and powerful Savior, thank you for this blessed meal…” Draco mockingly prays. He even went as far and bowing his head ‘respectfully’ in Harry’s direction.

“Does everything you do have to be dramatic?” Harry groans, taking a nibble of his salad. 

“I’m just giving thanks where thanks is due. I obviously have to grovel at your feet somehow, right?”

Those icy words were enough to drive Harry up the wall usually, but today he merely shrugs. “You didn’t have to follow me home. I’ll say it again, you chose this. I wonder when you’ll realize that?”. He raises an eyebrow inquisitively.

Draco bites back with an unintelligible grumble. They pair eats in silence from there on out, which only took a little while, but Harry did notice something else: Draco seemed...more alert? Well, then again he must not have eaten much lately either, so a full meal was enough to give him his strength back for now. Seeing that withering man before him yesterday was fodder for all his worries. It took Harry a little bit to connect the dots, but he made the connection soon. This was reminiscent of how others viewed him as a child...frail, a tad famished, improper care in general. Although the circumstances were different, this was like looking in a mirror. 

Harry speaks up once more. “Today we can take things easy but tomorrow the real preparations will start!”

Draco perks up, tilting his head. “And what might that be?”. Everything was a question with him.

“I’m going to help you find a job. Simple as that” Harry murmurs.

The disbelief in the other’s eyes was astounding. You could have hit Draco with a sack of coal and he wouldn’t have thought anything of it, but this was something. “You? Help me? And you don’t think I’m a big boy and can job hunt on my own?”

“It’s not going so well, though, is it? Your record is only going to hinder you too. Surely you know that…”. Harry didn’t mean for it to sound harsh but reality was even harsher, especially when you were in Draco’s shoes. He looks down at his now empty plate and closes his eyes. “If you don’t want my help, then I’ll back off but--”

“Fine”

Harry shot a glance at him. “So, yes?”

Draco went to place his dish in the sink and he groaned into his hand. “You know english. You heard me, and don’t make me say it again!”. Putting his hands into his pajama bottom pockets, Draco-- HOLD ON.

Harry’s mouth gapes. “Are you wearing my pajamas!?”

Draco’s lips muddle into a frown. “I was too tired to find my own in my bags last night so I did the next best thing. It’s not like I’m dirty, Potter, so calm down. I’m not going to get cooties all over your precious muggle clothes”. He saunters back to the bedroom, Harry’s eyes following him as he went. 

What a prick! Thinking he can just do as he pleases! Spoiled little brat….he must have never grew out of that phase. Harry finished tidying up the kitchen and pulled two mugs from the cupboard. It may be the afternoon but if he was going to deal with Draco - a personified, living, breathing headache - then he’d need to stay on his game. He also had figures that with some caffeine in Draco, he’d be a little less cranky. He pours his cup, sipping it just to make sure he added enough creamer. Perfect!

Said-Headache emerged from the bedroom, dressed in plain black pants and a grey sweater. “Ahhh how kind of you…” he sings as he appears at Harry’s side. Before Harry could interpret what that even means in Malfoy-ese, Draco was already sipping at the coffee. As he finishes pouring the second cup, Harry turns to his roommate and merely smirks as he sees the scene unfolding. Looks like this cup would be his then...heh!

“Hope you don’t mind my cooties though, Malfoy…” he chirps nonchalantly

“Excuse me?....Oh hell….!”

Harry can’t stop smiling after seeing how fast Draco spit the drink into the sink and gagged.

**Author's Note:**

> This is probably one of the longest works I've ever worked on! It's going to be multi-chaptered and I'll figure out a nice schedule to post them in, so keep an eye out for that! I haven't even finished this yet either, but I hope that with enough feedback, I can get enough motivation to go on and do it at last! Harry Potter holds such a special place in my heart and Drarry always puts a smile on my face. Hope you all enjoy this!!
> 
> Find me on tumblr @miichiru and more actively @blessedkeith right now!


End file.
